


5 - Support

by Jillybeanjoy



Series: Venom [5]
Category: Venom (2018), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: M/M, Mental Illness, PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Support Group
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 23:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18861328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jillybeanjoy/pseuds/Jillybeanjoy
Summary: Eddie and Venom go to a support group for people with PTSD that Anne told Eddie about.





	5 - Support

“I feel like a poser.” Eddie bit his lip standing outside the church building with his phone to his ear. 

**Poser?** Venom searched his memories for some kind of explanation or definition.

“A liar. I’m about to walk into a church and lie my guts out.” Eddie shook his head. “Nope. I’m out. We’re going home” he started to turn around but Venom locked his legs in place. “Come on!” He groaned looking down at his uncooperative legs. 

**Both Dan and Anne said this would be good for us.** Venom reminded him. **You may be lying about the details but the trauma is real and they think talking about it will help you.**

“Well I agreed to go to this stupid trauma support group before I knew it was in church!” 

**What makes this different than any other building?** Venom waited for a response. 

“It’s difficult to explain.” Eddie huffed, “I’ll tell you what, let’s go home and I’ll explain all about my complicated history with religion there.” Eddie was raised Catholic, but only some of it really stuck. It didn’t keep him from being host to an alien symbiote that ate human heads, but he wasn’t about to go into a church and lie about being a police officer with PTSD. It was a weird place to draw the line sure, but it’s where he was drawing it. 

Venom took control and started walking them into the church’s fellowship building. “What are you doing?!” Eddie hissed, shoving his phone in his pocket. 

**You don’t want to lie? Don’t lie. Sit there and be completely silent. But you are going to go.**

They walked in, followed the signs and found the room. It was mostly empty except for a small circle of collapsible chairs and a table off to the side with styrofoam cups and coffee. Once Venom was appeased that Eddie wasn’t going to bolt he gave Eddie back control. Eddie fidgeted with his jacket before heading over to the coffee and getting himself a cup. 

He sits on one of the chairs awkwardly. An older woman with her long gray hair in a braid sits next to him “Hi, I’m Beth.” He tells him holding out a hand. 

“Alan.” Eddie said, _lying already._

“Nice to meet you Alan. Feel free to talk as much or as little as you need” she said before saying loudly “Lets take our seats so that we can start.” 

Everyone quiets down and makes their way over to the circle. “Well we have a newcomer here so why don’t we introduce ourselves?” 

Everyone went around just saying first names. There was a young college aged girl, an older gruff man, another woman around Beth’s age, him, Beth and a guy around his age. Eddie forgot their names almost as soon as they said them. Then Beth, obviously the one in charge, said “well, who wants to start?” 

* * *

After the meeting ended everyone started folding up the chairs. Venom had been quiet most of the meeting but Eddie knew he was getting hungry. The guy around his age walks up to him, “Hey, I’m Chris, good to see you here. Hope you come back.” 

Eddie gave a shrug, “Yeah, I don’t really know.” 

“How about a coffee?” He looked at the styrofoam cup in Eddies hand, “Some actually good coffee, that is.” He laughed.

**Eddie, hungry.** Venom whined. 

“You know, I’m actually kind of starving, maybe next time.” Eddie said with a polite smile. 

“I know a good sushi place.” He offered. 

**Sushi?** That piqued Venoms interest. Eddie laughed, “Sure, why not?” 

* * *

They sat down at the sushi place and ordered their food. “So do you take every newbie to somewhere to check them out?” Eddie asked, half joking. 

“Not every time, we take turns” Chris laughs. “This your first time in a group like this?” 

“What gave it away?” Eddie asked. 

“Seemed a little uncomfortable. I promise we don’t bite.” 

Eddie tried to laugh, but he could hear Venom saying **We do.**

“It’s more of the place than the people that has me on edge.” Eddie admits. “Pretty sure that was my first time in a church since my dad stopped dragging me there in high school.”

Chris nods “That’s understandable.” The food was set down before them and there was an awkward moment of silence. 

_What am I doing here?_ Eddie asked himself. _Why didn’t we just go home?_

“You from the city?” Chris asked. 

“No, New York. I moved here to be closer to my girlfriend at the time.” 

“You have family here? Or any other kind of support system?” Chris was trying to seem casual but was obviously concerned. 

**You have me.**

“No family, so to speak. But my ex and her new boyfriend help me out a lot and my roommate...” he tries to think of the right wording through Venoms mild distaste for the word roommate that Eddie can literally taste in the back of his throat, knowing both Chris and Venom were watching him carefully, “would do anything for me.” 

**Damn right.**

“You’re luckier than most then. So what brings you to our group?” Chris asks.

“Uh...” Eddie took a sip of his drink to buy him some time. 

**You’re not in a church now.** Venom reminds him. 

“I was a cop in New York.” He lied, “I lost my partner in an explosion. I just moved here trying to get a fresh start.”

 **Partner?** Venom muses on the term. Tasting it. Testing it. 

“Sorry to hear that.” Chris said. “So you moved here with the girlfriend for your fresh start after a massive trauma and she dumps you?” He gives a low whistle “that’s gotta be rough.”

Shit. Right. He just said he moved here to be with Anne than changed it and said he needed a fresh start. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. “What about you?” He said trying desperately to change the subject before he screwed up again. 

“Car accident. Kind of. I was leaving my sisters house and didn’t see my niece waddle right behind my car.” 

Ouch. Eddie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Dude, I’m real sorry.” 

“Thanks... Talking about it really does help, so I hope you come back to the group.” Chris told him, “or at least, if we don’t see you again that you find another group to help you out.” He shrugged “you on the force here?”

“No, I think I’ve put those days behind me. I’m just living off side jobs until I’m stable enough for something more stable.” Unstable. That was definitely the word for it. 

Chris nodded, and Eddie knew he understood. Truly understood. In a way he never thought anyone would be able to other than venom. 

**We can keep you stable, Partner.**

Eddie gave a tired smile. 

“I still haven’t driven a car since the accident and Lyla would have been eight by now.” Chris shrugged, but then his face got serious. “I don’t really even use public transit unless I have to. I walk basically everywhere.”

“Your job must be close to where you live.” San Francisco was a big place with a lot of hills for someone who walked everywhere. 

“I mostly work from home. Don’t really go out except for meetings and errands. So this has been... nice.” Chris gives a sheepish smile. 

“Yeah, it is nice.” Eddie agreed. The waiter came back with the checks. They both put cash on the table and walked out. 

“Hope I see you again, Alan.” Chris said with a wave. Eddie waved back before going down a different street. 

Venom swam in his chest. **We Keep you stable, Partner. We Keep you safe.**

“V you’re the only reason I’m still alive in a lot of ways.” He admits. “I’ll try my best to deserve every minute.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of based this off of my own experience in PTSD support groups, but I know not all PTSD support groups are the same so even if it’s not your experience I hope you like it!


End file.
